Mountaineers Finish 7th at Collegiate MTB National, Score in Every Event for the First Time in Program History

The Western Colorado University Mountain Bike Team closed its 2026 season with one of the most complete performances in program history at the Collegiate Mountain Bike National Championships, finishing 7th overall in the Varsity competition out of 20 schools.

For the first time ever, Western placed riders in every men’s and women’s event at Nationals. This is a milestone that reflects the depth of a roster that brings endurance and gravity athletes together as one team.

Bergdolt leads the way

Senior Ethan Bergdolt led the Mountaineers with two top-10 results, placing 8th in the dual slalom and 9th in the downhill. Bergdolt’s performance capped a season in which he pulled double duty, racing at the front while also serving as one of the team’s gravity coaches. Few athletes take on the responsibility of developing their teammates while chasing their own national-level results, and Bergdolt delivered on both fronts.

Women’s squad shows its range

On the women’s side, Western was led by freshman Daisy Graesser, junior Rachel Cathey, and graduate student Hannah Garvey.

Graesser and Cathey took on the Omnium, the most demanding test at Nationals, in which riders compete in every event, and finished 9th and 10th, respectively. For Graesser, a top-10 Omnium finish in her first collegiate season signals a bright future; for Cathey, it was another strong result for one of the program’s most consistent competitors.

Garvey placed 12th in the modified downhill.

Downhill crew rallies through a course change

Inclement weather forced organizers to replace the planned black-diamond downhill with a green-circle trail. The change turned a technical gravity course into a far more pedal-heavy event, taking away much of the advantage Western’s gravity riders have built through a season of skills-focused training.

Rather than let the change define their day, all 10 Western downhill racers rallied and pedaled their hearts out. Every one of them finished in the points, adding to the team’s overall score and helping secure the 7th-place result. It was the kind of collective effort, every rider contributing, no one taking a race off, that the team has worked to build all season.

Celebrating a season and starting a tradition

After the race wrapped, the team celebrated its performance and season over pizza in nearby Palisade, Colorado.

The evening also marked the start of a new team tradition: honoring the program’s graduating seniors. This year’s class — Ethan Bergdolt, Camille Deranleau, and Elijah Bettancourt — was recognized for the leadership, commitment, and example they have set for the riders who follow them.

With a historic sweep of event participation, a top-10 finish against the nation’s best collegiate programs, and a young core led by riders like Graesser, the Mountaineers head into the offseason with momentum and a clear sense of who they are as a team.